Every Breath You Take: The Science of Prana with Kanan + Dr. Komal

Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that operate both involuntarily and voluntarily. Governed by the autonomic nervous system, it happens effortlessly - without thought, like the beating of the heart. And yet, unlike the heartbeat, the breath can be consciously shaped, slowed, held, or deepened. This dual nature makes the breath a rare and potent bridge between body and mind, between the conscious and the unconscious, between states of stress to states of calm. 

In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, breath techniques - pranayama are introduced early (YS 1.34) and later established as one of the eight limbs of yoga (YS 2.29). The ancient yoga wisdom understood that by refining the breath, one could influence not just the physical body but also the subtle energies - what they called prana, the vital life force. Pranayama is often translated as “breath control,” but more accurately, it refers to the expansion and conscious direction of prana through the medium of breath.

Modern science is beginning to affirm what these early practitioners intuited. Conscious breathing - especially the deep, rhythmic breathing central to pranayama - has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, fostering calm, reducing cortisol, and enhancing vagal tone.